SEIXCT 
 
 FABULIST. 
 
 EDINBURGH : 
 
 PUBLISHED BY JAMES CLARKE 
 221, HIGH STREET. 
 
 Price One Penny. 
 
SELECT FABLES. 
 
 The Old Man and his Sons. 
 
 An old man had many sons, who 
 were often falling out with one an- 
 other ; when he used this expedient 1 
 in order to reconcile them. He de- 
 sired a bundle of short rods to be 
 brought, and then commanded them 
 one after another, to try if, with all 
 their strength, they could break it, 
 They all tried, but to no purpose ; 
 
for the rods being closely and com. 
 pactly bound up together it was no 
 In their power to break them. Arte! 
 S sVfather ordered the bundle 
 to be untied, and gave ^a angle . rod 
 to each of bis sons, at the same time 
 bidding them try to break it, which 
 thev did with the greatest ease. On 
 which the father addressed them o 
 this effect : « O my sons, behold the 
 power of unity ! for if you, in hke 
 manner, would but keep yourselves 
 strictly conjoined in the bancs of 
 friendship, it would not be m tbe 
 power of any mortal to hurt you ; 
 but when once tbe bands of affection 
 j are dissolved, how soon do you tali 
 to pieces, and are liable to be vie 
 I luted by every injurious hand that 
 I assaults you." 
 
 When differences arise among those 
 who should live together in friendship, 
 I thev hring upon themselves their own 
 
 nun. 
 
4 
 
 The vain Jackdaw. 
 
 A Proud vain Jackdaw, having 
 found somepeacocks feathers, deck! 
 ed himself in them, and joined 
 their company. They did not ob- 
 serve him at first, but beginning to 
 prate, lie was soon discovered • on 
 which the peacocks fell upon him 
 with their sharp bills, stript him of 
 ins plumage, and drove him away. 
 
 Contentment is better than riches. 
 
The Boy and Butterfly. 
 A Boy once pursuing a Butterfly 
 w?th great eagerness from flower to 
 flower, sometimes falling over one 
 hillock, then another, till at last, 
 nuite tired, he lay down, and ex- 
 claimed, " Ha ! what signifies it ? 
 It is only a painted hutterfly I 
 
 We are always ready to undervalue what 
 we cannot attain to'. 
 
The Blind Man and Lame. 
 
 A Blind Man travelling on a 
 road, overtook one that was lame. 
 The blind man stumbled at every 
 stone he came to, which the lame 
 man seeing, called to him that he 
 might take him on his back, and he 
 would direct his way; which the 
 blind man agreed to, and so arrived 
 safe at the end of his journey. 
 
 One good turn deserves another. 
 
The Husbandman and Stork. 
 
 A Husbandman having found 
 n Stork in a net which he had set to 
 
 catch the geese who laid waste Ins 
 fiS, the Stork begged hard for b» 
 life, telling hiro be was no goose 
 bu t a poor harmless Stork Hold 
 vour prating, sirrah." says the Hus- 
 bandman ; '< as I have taken you 
 
 in bad company, you must gutter 
 
 the. same punishment. 
 
 Bad company corrupt good manners. 
 
8 
 
 The Thief and Dog. 
 A Thief once attempting to rob 
 a house, was assailed by the Do^ 
 who desired him to go about his 
 business. The thief, upon this, of- 
 fered to bribe him with a loaf; on 
 which the Dog took hold of him till 
 his master came, at the same time 
 telling him, that he considered the 
 taking a bribe to be as bad as the 
 theft. 
 
 accept no bribe. 
 
The Lion and the Goal. 
 The Lion, seeing a Goat upon a 
 .tptn crafflCY rock, where he could 
 n ot coTne & at him, asked him what 
 
 one precipice to anotner, a 
 a ,d "venture the breaking of his 
 peck every moment ? w ny , 
 plies the Goat, « you reason we , 
 but vou look so very hungry and 
 Dui yuu truth, 
 designing, that, to tea yuu 
 I do not care to venture my person 
 
 where you are." 
 
 Trust not to strangers. 
 
1 A 
 
 The Jackdaw and Sheep. I 
 
 A Jackdaw sat chattering on the 
 back of a sheep. " Peace, you noisy 
 thin**/' says the sheep, "were I a bear t 
 
 you durst not do so." " True;' says 
 the daw, " I know who I have to do 
 with ; I never meddle with the surly 
 and revengeful, but I love to plague 
 poor harmless creatures like you, 
 that cannot do me any harm again." 
 
 Never be mischievous to the harmless. 
 
1 1 
 
 The Old Man and Young. 
 
 An old man, bent with age, being 
 met by a pert young fellow, was 
 accosted thus — "W ell, old boy, will 
 you sell your bow?" Si Keep your 
 money, you fool,*' said the old man, 
 " for when you come to my ace, you 
 will have one for nothing/' 
 
 Never mock at old acre. Solomon savs, 
 The hoary head is a crown of glory, 
 
1 4 > 
 
 The Crow and Pitcher. 
 A Crow, ready to die with thirst, 
 found a pitcher with some water;' 
 but it was so near the bottom that 
 he could not get at it. He tried 
 to overturn it, but his strength fail- 
 ed him. At last, seeing some peb- 
 bles near him, he dropped them one 
 by one into the pitcher, so raised 
 the water to the top, and quenched 
 his thirst. 
 
 Perseverance overcomes many difficulties. 
 
13 
 
 The Fox and Grapes, 
 
 A Fox, very hungry, chanced to 
 come into a vineyard, where there 
 hung branches of charming ripe 
 grapes, but nailed so high,, that he 
 leapt till he quite tired himself with- 
 out being able to reach them. At 
 last, he says, " They are as sour as 
 crabs, and not worth one's while." 
 
 When we cannot attain what we wish for 
 it is as well to put it oiF with a jest* 
 
14 
 
 The Fly and Ant. ■ 
 
 A Fly meeting an Ant one day, 
 insultingly told her, what a poor 
 crawling reptile she was, obliged to 
 feed on the coarsest of grain, while* 
 she herself fed at the table of kings, 
 u Ay/' says the Ant, " and as often 
 as you are seen are driven away; 
 besides, when winter comes, what 
 will vou do then ?" 
 Industry is the road to riches and honour, 
 
15 
 
 The Fox and Crow. 
 
 A Crow flew away with a piece of 
 cheese from a cottage window to the 
 top of a high tree. This a Fox ob- 
 serving, began a speech by flattering 
 her beauty /at the same time desiring 
 her to sing him a song. On which 
 the foolish Crow, trying to sing, 
 dropt her cheese, which sly Rey- 
 nurd snapt up and set off with. 
 Always distrust fair speeches, 
 FINfS. 
 
Published by \ 
 
 JAMES CLARKE & CO. EDINBURGH! 
 
 | 
 
 Of whom may be had, \ 
 
 I 
 
 An extensive Assortment of Juvenile j 
 Books, at various Prices. 
 
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